Fears over plans to cut free school meals for primary school pupils

The managing director of a schools catering company has expressed major concerns over Conservative party plans to scrap free school lunches amid fears children will suffer.

Dan Curtis, who runs Dolce, based in Wetherby, has spent “a lifetime” serving school dinners to pupils across the region and described the introduction of the scheme for the first three years at school as “a master stroke”.

But he has dubbed Teresa May’s plans to replace free lunches with free breakfasts as “foolish”.

He said: “Firstly, free school dinners encourages social cohesion as pupils of all backgrounds share food together. Secondly, it teaches the children from more chaotic homes how to eat out, use a knife and fork and socialise. Finally, it keeps the most disruptive pupils well fed and calm in the afternoon.”

Harking back to Margaret Thatcher’s infamous cancelling of free school milk, along with other controversial measures, he added: “The Tory Government has to learn from the past. Sweeping changes may play well with those who pay their taxes but in the chaos they create, children will suffer, education will suffer and obesity will roll on.”